Just Another Camelot Musical
by alisi13
Summary: Arthur wakes one morning to find the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Camelot communicating through the medium of song. Nonsense ensues. (Rated T just in case, no slash)
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so first and foremost, to those who are reading my story 'Camelot Orchestra', I believe I owe you guys an apology for not updating in ages. After finishing my exams (which I actually didn't do too badly in, to my surprise), I had to complete a design project of mine which took another couple of weeks, so yeah, that's my lame excuse. Fear not though, I have been writing the next chapter and should be posting it within the next week. **

**Secondly, despite having a story that is in dire need of updating, I decided to start ****_another _****one due to an idea that I had after reading the amazing Whitecross's Merlin Musical stories, which lead me to wonder what it would like if the Merlin writers thought one day "Fuck it, let's mess with everyone and write a musical episode". As a result, this story (which will be a multi-chapter one) was born. Kind of like the Buffy episode, which I have never watched, but my friends have assured me it was incredibly funny and has lead me to believe that the Merlin writers passed up an opportunity to be even more epic then it already was. **

**Thirdly, I think Whitecross and any other writers who have written similar material took prompts from reviewers. I will do the same, however because I have a vague idea of how long this story will be (probably not that long) and what songs I want which characters to do, I may not follow through with all suggestions given to me. So I'm just saying sorry in advance and that you will all receive virtual hugs and a personal shout out for your contribution :) There's a list at the bottom giving you a brief outline of what to expect and should hopefully guide your prompts if you should like to post one. **

**Anyways, if you haven't already gotten bored, please read on, and sorry for any spelling/grammar errors. **

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Sleep. That was pretty much all Arthur wanted at that moment. Not only because his body still ached from the rigorous training of the previous day where Gwaine had gotten dangerously close to beating him in a sparring contest (thank god that didn't happen, the man already had the ego the size of a watermelon), but also because it was one of the only times that he could see Guinevere in his hazy half-remembered dreams, where barriers in class no longer existed and they could be together.

But fate, it seems had other plans, when at seven in the morning, he awoke to the sound the opening of a door and whoosh of curtains opening letting in streams of blinding yellow sunlight. "And this is why I can't have nice things", Arthur thought, as he unwillingly opened his bleary eyes and took in the sight of his manservant pacing about the room, readying his clothes and preparing his things for the day, whilst whistling a tune under his breath.

Arthur moaned, and grabbed a pillow and shoved it over his head, covering his ears in a vain attempt to block the sound.

"Merlin, would you shut up?" he complained through the layer of cloth and feathers, emphasising the last two words.

To his dismay, the sound did not die down, but instead intensified to a loud humming, prompting Arthur to tear the pillow from his face and throw it haphazardly in a random direction, hoping it hit it's intended target. As much as Arthur valued his manservant to be one of his closet friends and advisors, he had absolutely no tact when it came to morning rituals.

After a few seconds, however, he came to the conclusion that he couldn't lay about in bed all day (a man had to pee), swung his legs over the side of his large four poster bed and planted his feet on the cold wooden floor. He turned to see Merlin standing next to the window, who had thankfully ceased his humming, but was now standing still in the centre of the room, fixating his vibrant stare towards him.

"Ah Merlin", Arthur inquired. "Shouldn't you be getting my breakfast?"

Instead of Merlin's usual quick reply of "Right away your prattiness", Arthur was met with something a little…unorthodox. If by unorthodox, Arthur meant completely unexpected, as he watched Merlin pivot quickly on one foot to face his confused sovereign and began to sing.

_Oh oh oh, woke up today_

_Feeling the way I always do_

'What. In. The. Hell' Arthur thought, as he watched a man whom he believed to be Merlin but appeared to be some sort of impostor theatre performer in his friend's clothes, sing a joyful, confident tune whilst dancing across the room.

_Oh, oh, oh_

_Hungry for something_

_That I can't eat_

_Then I hear that beat_

The Merlin-Impostor now strode towards the window and thrust the shutters open, inviting a shell-shocked Arthur to observe the townspeople below in the square; farmers and merchants setting up their stalls, other servants hurriedly rushing around to retrieve water from a nearby well and food for their masters, young eager-eyed squires leading massive horses to the stables whilst a group of red-caped knights in silver armour reflecting the sun's rays walked in groups towards the training grounds.

_The rhythm of town_

_Starts calling me down_

_It's like a message from_

_High above_

In all honesty Arthur had always liked observing and being amongst his people whom as a child, his overbearing father had forbidden him to interact with, ordering him to stay inside the castle grounds. But he didn't just like it because it was a chance to indulge his lack of childhood experiences. One day, he wasn't sure when but he secretly hoped it wasn't too soon, he was destined to rule these people. To lead and protect them. How could he be the King that they deserved if he didn't even know them? In retrospect Arthur was pretty sure he had gotten that advice from Guinevere. Or maybe Merlin.

Arthur looked back at his friend who was now resuming his strange dance around the room.

Maybe not.

'God' he thought, running a hand through his tousled hair, 'I really don't have the time for this'. "Merlin", he said sternly. "I don't know if you annoyed Gaius enough to make him want to feed you one of his vile concoctions that has made you act like an idiot, but I don't have the time for this stupidity". Merlin paid no heed to this speech, as he grabbed Arthur's arm and began to pull him towards the door. His sleepiness combined with his confusion rendered Arthur's feeble attempts to resist useless, as he was now propelled into the busy corridor filled with servants and noblemen and women alike.

_Oh, oh, oh_

_Pulling me out_

_To the smiles and the_

_Streets that I love_

_Good morning Camelot_

_Every day's like an open door_

_Every night is a fantasy_

_Every sound's like a symphony_

_Good morning Camelot_

_And some day when I take to the floor_

_The world's gonna wake up and see_

_Camelot and me!_

Arthur had expected passers by to be shocked by Merlin's singing, which echoed throughout the hallway. To his surprise they all joined in, harmonising with the melody with the same vigour and animation that coloured Merlin's voice. Was there some sort of declaration he had missed that morning? Arthur squinted as he made out Merlin gravitate towards a woman with a head of brown curls carrying a laundry basket standing next to a tall pale woman, who began to dance and link arms with Merlin. Since when did Gwen and Morgana get here?!

_I know every spell_

_I know every song_

_I know there's a place where I belong_

_I can see my destined path shining ahead_

_So someone invite me_

_Before I drop dead!_

The crowd responded to Merlin's statement with an eager _Before he drops dead! _Merlin then dropped Gwen and Morgana's arms and made his way down the corridor towards Arthur again, the sunlight pouring through the windows forming a path of light on which he walked. 'No' Arthur amended his previous thought, 'strutted'.

_Oh, oh, oh_

_Don't make me wait_

_One more moment for my life to start..._

As Merlin held his note, the corridor began to teem with even more energy, as its inhabitants began to sing their response with more enthusiasm and smiled and linked arms with each other. _Good morning, good morning_

_Waiting for my life to start!_

_I love you Camelot_

_Every day's like an open door_

_Every night is a fantasy_

_Every sound's like a symphony_

_And I promise Camelot_

_That some day when_

_I take to the floor_

_The world's gonna wake up and see_

_Gonna wake up and see_

_Camelot and me..._

A joyful cacophony of sound filled the space and begin to spill out through the windows into the grounds. Despite Arthur's initial confusion, he couldn't help but feel…happy. What the hell was going on?

_Camelot and me_

_Camelot and me!_

And before Arthur's very eyes, Merlin ran down the corridor and slid down on his knees the remainder of the way for the big finale where he and the others belted out the final lines. Then as soon as the song began, the crowd dispersed, chatting and walking as if nothing had happened. Before he could comprehend just what exactly happened a young messenger boy rushed up to him, panting as he recited his note. "Sire, the King requests your presence in the throne room…as soon as you are ready."

"Uh…okay" The boy nodded and ran back the hall, leaving the young prince utterly perplexed. What in the name of Camelot had just happened? Speaking of which, the tune was actually quite catchy. 'And', he pondered as he wondered dazedly back into his room to find a shirt, 'Merlin isn't that bad a singer'.

**Okay, so that was the beginning of my foray into the world of musical FanFiction writing. If you liked it, please review. If you hated it, please review. If you accidentally stumbled across this page because you misspelt a Google search term, please review. If you have no idea how you got here, please review. I would really appreciate it :) **

**Guide for 'Just Another Camelot Musical'**

Chapter 2: Morgana-central, will probably use rock music by female artists (anyone keen for Joan Jett?)

Chapter 3: Knights-central, boy-band music. I know that that sounds really bad, but I seriously would have given up my right hand to see Gwaine, Leon, Elyan, Lancelot and Percival be all faux-serious whilst singing 'I want it that way'.

Chapter 4: Gwen-central, NO IDEA WHAT MUSIC TO USE PLEASE PROMPT ME. In saying that, I probably won't use music that is too 'pop' as in 'Call Me Maybe'-styled stuff. Not that I have anything against the song or anything, I just feel like I need to give her something a little indie (e.g. Haim), or sensual (e.g. a neo-soul or slightly jazz-y song to contrast to the grit from Morgana's chapter) or powerful (e.g. Beyonce-from Queen Bey to…Queen G! Get it? Get it-ok I'll shut up)

Chapter 5: ? PROMPT ME PEOPLE! I was thinking Uther and a really bad hip hop song with Arthur looking on in utter confusion and embarrassment but I'll admit that that probably isn't my best idea and welcome any ideas.

Chapter 6: Grand finale with Merlin making another solo appearance with the rest of Camelot joining in.

END

**Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys!**

**So here's the next instalment of 'Just Another Camelot Musical', where the spotlight is now on Morgana. This chapter is a little more serious than the last, however it's definitely upbeat and energetic while exploring some feminist themes. In saying that, I kind of finished this at some ungodly hour last night, and although I have proofread it, I don't trust myself. So if there are any issues, please let me know and I'll fix them up as soon as I get the chance. Enjoy!**

**Song:**** Sonic Youth's 'Kool Thing' (A 90's noise/no-wave rock song. Seriously, if haven't already, check it out!) **

**A/N: Just in case, the speech in "**_italics and speech marks"_** indicate the lines are still part of the song (there's a part of the song where lead singer Kim Gordon and guest rapper Chuck D have a bit of a spoken part). The text that looks like **_'this', _**are internal thoughts. **

After shrugging on a shirt and random pair of pants that Merlin must have folded up before his impromptu sing and dance routine, Arthur edged slowly out of his room, glancing around before emerging into the corridor. Never in his life had he been so confused. Never had the seemingly innocent faces of servants that passed him in the halls, curtseying and bowing, saying 'Good morning Sire', seemed so…duplicitous. He was on edge with fear (not that he would ever admit to it), expecting all of them to suddenly turn around and start singing another song, which would most likely lead to Arthur finding refuge in one of the alcoves. Where he would probably stay for the next week.

Twenty metres from his door, and Arthur's nervousness began to ebb._'Okay, it's been a good minute and no attack'_, Arthur thought. _'This is good, maybe I just might make it through-'_

For the second time that day, Arthur was compelled to ask just why it was that things couldn't turn out his way, when he felt a strong grip on his tunic pull him towards an open doorway. He heard the heavy slam of a door and found himself plonked onto a wooden chair to which he felt his arms and legs being bound to. As Arthur struggled to free himself, he looked around and realised that he was in Morgana's chambers. However, instead of the typical luxurious decor and plush furniture that he remembered, the spacious room had been transformed into some sort of…Arthur lacked the words to describe just what he found himself in.

_'No, actually' _he thought as he noticed the multitude of people surrounding him, amongst whom he recognised servants and noblemen and women alike, all around his age, clothes ripped, jumping up and down to some sort of pounding and screeching music, _'lunatic asylum seems pretty accurate'. _

As he tried to locate the door, he saw that the walls, instead of their usual cream colouring were now an inky black. The windows were boarded up so not a single beam of light touched the floor save the several lit torches that hung around the room, casting an eerie glow on the enraptured crowd.

Arthur craned his neck to discern the source of the sound. Where the bed should have been was now a cleared spot in the room where he recognised Morgana, her clothing in a similar state of disarray, her hair loose, playing what appeared to be a bass guitar with two other females on the electric guitar and drums. Arthur attempted scrutinise who they were, but found he couldn't see past the amount of raised hands that were flung in their air as the people around him danced erratically.

_'Oh come on, first Merlin, now this?!' _Arthur desperately tried to pull his hands out of the bindings, but whoever did them had the skill of a sailor. He had no choice but to partake in the concert, for the second time that day. Morgana made her way to the microphone.

_Kool thing, sitting with a kitty_

_Now you know you're sure looking pretty_

_Like a lover not a dancer _

_Superboy take a little chance here_

_I don't wanna_

_I don't think so_

_I don't wanna_

_I don't think so_

_'Okay', _Arthur thought, trying to hear his thoughts over the screams of the audience, _'I knew Morgana was a little aggro, but not to this extent'. _The screech of the guitars, the relentless pounding of the drums, the dissonance of the music, they all conveyed an uninhibited aggression that he had never before seen in his adoptive sister. The lyrics, seemingly benign, dripped with sarcasm as Morgana sang them out to the crowd, who whooped and clapped their hands encouragingly. For the final lines, a small yet hair-raising smile broke out on her face as she told them, no, dared them to mess with her.

_'Aha!'_ Arthur finally managed to pull one hand out of the bindings. _'Now if I can just manage the other one…'_

Before he could free himself, the music began to die down as they reached the bridge, the defining noise being reduced to a hum. As if on cue, the people in front of Arthur's chair began to move, and like the parting of the seas, there was now an aisle between him and the stage.

_'Well hey, at least I can see now.'_

And what he saw scared the living daylights out of him.

In front of him, in all her gothic glory, stood Morgana. She was flanked by (_'Oh God' _Arthur panicked) his almost fiance, Elena, and Mithian, both of whom were delivering withering stares that made him squirm in his seat. Getting the heck out of the room was looking like a very good option to Arthur, and he hurriedly began to resume his escape attempt.

_"Hey Kool thing"_, Morgana beckoned to him, _"come here, sit down, I wanna ask you something" _

Arthur paused to look down at his current stage of bondage and back up again. _'Really Morgana, really?' _

_"I just wanna know"_, Elena enquired innocently from behind her drum set, _"what are you gonna do for me?"_

_"I mean", _Mithian interrupted, her hands gripped claw-like around the neck of her guitar, _"are you gonna liberate us girls from male, white, monarchical oppression?"_

At those words Arthur lifted his head. '_Male, white monarchical oppression?'_ Suddenly visions of his childhood ran through his mind or him and Morgana sword fighting. In many instances Morgana's skills overpowered his, yet being forced to discontinue her practices due to her sex. Perhaps, Arthur thought, she may have been the greatest swordswoman in all the land, if Uther had let her realise her potential.

He recalled memories of his brief engagement to Elena, an awkward yet friendly girl, being forced into a marriage to unite their two kingdoms. Although Arthur was just as much forced into the political union as she was (much to his and Gwen's displeasure), Arthur was well aware that arranged marriage was a common fate for female monarchs.

And then there was Mithian. The woman he had almost married after he had banished Guinevere from Camelot. Why she (let alone her father) had not waged war on his kingdom after the sudden calling off of their engagement, escaped him. Arthur could only imagine the shame and embarrassment she must have faced from her people after being 'sent back', like a worthless package, due to his stupid decision. Although they parted amicably, Arthur knew that Mithian had good reason to resent him.

Arthur thought of all the lost opportunities, relinquished freedoms and individual pain that he, other men and years of oppression had not inflicted upon them.

He was no longer fearful for himself.

He felt shame. He felt guilt.

_"Tell it like it is!"_

"Holy mother of f-" Arthur swore, swivelling as best he could to see Morgause, mere metres away from him in the crowd, her thin lips pulled into a smirk. Arthur felt his stomach churn. He was not only aware of her frightening fighting abilities, but also of the High Priestesses' ability to inflict terrible cruelty on those she deemed deserving of it. He was also aware of the fact that very slowly, but surely, she was making her way towards him.

He needed to get out. Right now.

_"Huh? Don't be shy", _Elena taunted. _"Fear of a female planet? Fear of a female planet?"_

_"Fear it baby", _Morgause echoed, not once removing her gaze from his as she made her way through the entranced crowd, their shadows dancing on the walls.

The sweat gathering on the palms of Arthur's hands were hastening his escape. _'Almost there…' _His hand slipped out of the rope and he quickly bent over and untied his feet.

The music began to intensify as he shrugged off his bindings and began pushing his way through the crowd to the door, which thank the gods, was open. He then wasted no time in running outside and slamming it behind him, eager to escape the judgement of the four women. Yet whilst he continued to run down the abnormally empty corridor, he swore he could hear Morgana saying, _"I just want you to know, that we can still be friends". _

Friends, that's what Arthur needed right now. Although he was still troubled by the women's message, he knew that he wouldn't be able to do anything useful for any of them, unless he made sense of just what was going on. And so without looking back, he sprinted off to the stables to see if the courageous knights of Camelot could give him a much needed hand.

**A/N: Thanks for reading guys, sorry about the long-ass time it took me to update. Long story short, I have some very important exams coming up, so I've kind of been writing updates during my study breaks. **

**In saying that I have a few announcements to make (ahem):**

**1. The next chapter will be focused on the Knights. And if you liked my Backstreet Boys one-shot, then boy oh boy are you gonna like this update. **

**2. The following chapter will be centre on Gwen whose song I have finally chosen, thanks to the suggestions that were sent to me. Thanks to the whole lot of you who gave me really great song ideas; I'm sorry that I'll only be doing just one, but your reviews really motivate me to continue writing so keep up the good work!**

**3. Just re-read the line "**current stage of bondage" **and started laughing. That ****_so_**** wasn't intentional…or was it? ;) **

**Thanks again, and please post a review! **


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